This invention relates generally to sealed system refrigeration devices, and more particularly, to control systems for refrigerators.
Typical refrigerators includes a fresh food compartment and a frozen food compartment. A temperature sensor is typically located in walls of both compartments and sends indications of the sensors temperature to a control unit which controls a compressor and a plurality of fans for cooling the compartments.
However, the temperature of the sensor is not typically the same as the temperature of the air within each compartment. Rather the wall in which the sensor is mounted effects the temperature of the sensor. For example, if a sensor in the fresh food compartment is mounted in a mullion which is a common wall between the fresh food compartment and the frozen food compartment, the sensor is at a temperature cooler than the air within the fresh food compartment. Alternatively, if a sensor is mounted in an exterior wall, then the sensor is typically warmer than the air within the fresh food compartment. Both of these two phenomenons are attributable to heat transfer through the wall in which the sensor is mounted. Therefore, the temperature sent to the control unit can vary from the true temperature of the air within a compartment.
In one aspect, a method for controlling a cooling system configured to cool a compartment is provided. The method includes receiving a temperature of the compartment from a temperature sensor, adjusting the received temperature to obtain a corrected temperature, and controlling the cooling system based on the corrected temperature.
In another aspect, a cooling device includes a first compartment comprising a plurality of first walls and at least one first door defining a first enclosed volume of the first compartment. A sealed system configured to provide cooling capacity to the first compartment is operationally coupled to the first compartment and at least one first temperature sensor is coupled to at least one of the first walls and at least partially exposed to the first enclosed volume. A temperature control system is operationally coupled to said the temperature sensor and to the sealed system. The control system is configured to receive a temperature sensor reading from the first temperature sensor, and to control a temperature of the first compartment with the sealed system based on the temperature sensor reading and a correction factor.
In a further aspect, a refrigerator includes a first compartment configured to preserve food, the first compartment includes a plurality of first walls and at least one first door defining a first enclosed volume of the first compartment. The refrigerator also includes a second compartment configured to preserve food coupled to one of the first walls, the second compartment includes a plurality of second walls and at least one second door defining a second enclosed volume of the second compartment with one of the first walls. A sealed system is operationally coupled to the first and second compartments. The sealed system is configured to provide cooling capacity to the first and second compartments. At least one first temperature sensor is coupled to at least one of the first walls and at least partially exposed to the first enclosed volume. A temperature control system is operationally coupled to the first temperature sensor and to the sealed system. The control system is configured to receive a temperature sensor reading from the first temperature sensor, and to control a temperature of the first compartment with the sealed system based on the temperature sensor reading and a correction factor.
In yet another embodiment, a refrigerator includes a first compartment configured to preserve food, the first compartment includes a plurality of first walls and at least one first door defining a first enclosed volume of the first compartment. The refrigerator also includes a second compartment configured to preserve food coupled to one of the first walls, the second compartment includes a plurality of second walls and at least one second door defining a second enclosed volume of the second compartment with one of the first walls. A sealed system is operationally coupled to the first and second compartments, and the sealed system is configured to provide cooling capacity to the first and second compartments. At least one first temperature sensor is coupled to at least one of the first walls and at least partially exposed to the first enclosed volume. At least one second temperature sensor is at least partially exposed to the second enclosed volume. A temperature control system is operationally coupled to the first and second temperature sensors and to the sealed system. The control system is configured to receive a first temperature sensor reading from the first temperature sensor and receive a second temperature sensor reading from the second temperature sensor. The control system is also configured to control a first temperature of the first compartment with the sealed system based on the first temperature sensor and a correction factor that is a function of temperature difference between the first received temperature sensor reading and the second received temperature sensor reading. The control system is also configured to control a second temperature of the second compartment with the sealed system based on the second temperature sensor and a correction factor that is a function of temperature difference between the first received temperature sensor reading and the second received temperature sensor reading, wherein the second temperature is different from said first temperature.